Above Suspicion (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)This movie was Christopher Reeves last movie before his freak accident that left him paralyzed. The acting is what makes this movie great, but you must get by your emotions during the brother's affair with Reeves' wife. Definitely not for children.

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Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition (Superman - The Movie/ Superman II/ Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut/ Superman III/ Superman IV - The Quest for Peace/ Superman Returns) (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are a true fan of Superman, buy this set. I cannot imagine that you will be dissapointed. With 14 discs it is beyond exhaustive and leaves no stone unturned in relation to the Superman films, legacy and mythology. Really, the Superman film series has given audiences all that is right and wrong with making a film based on a beloved comic book hero. We begin with the brilliance of Richard Donner's initial vision and move to the director controversies of the second, arguably equally triumphant, film. We actually get two versions of the first two films, including the Richard Donner cut of Superman II that is quite different from the version filmed by Richard Lester after Donner was removed from the project. From there the next two Superman films are, at best, uneven and chaotic and a sad way to end Christopher Reeve's iconic portrayal of the Man of Steel. Superman Returns and Bryan Singer's take on the character is interesting, and while an improvement on the horrid Superman IV that killed the movie franchise of the most popular character in the world for 19 years, it still lacks something in my opinion. There are more featurettes and making of documentaries that will please the casual fan to the most avid Superman afficianado. There are some excellent full-length documentaries on the creation and evolution of Superman and the making of the Superman films, including all the controversy. There is a nearly three-hour documentary on the making of Singer's Superman, and there is a touching portrait of actor Christopher Reeve. There are some vintage TV specials thrown in on the making of the first three films, and there are lots of deleted scenes, which is interesting to watch especially on the bad films. You can also listen to a lot of commentary on the films from writers, producers and directors. My favorite was from Michael Rosenthal, a screenwriter for Superman IV, who fesses up with refreshing candor about what a mess the film turned out to be (contrast this with the producer Ilya Salkind's commentary on Superman III where he spends a great deal of time trying to convince us that the critically panned, modestly profitable film was really a smashing success). There is much more to the set including all the brilliant vintage Superman cartoons from the 1940s, some WB Superman spoof cartoons with Bugs and Daffy, a live action Superman movie serial that preceded the popular 1950s TV show and a rare, and truly awful television pilot of a Superman spoof that featured little people dressed up in dog costumes (I'm not kidding). Somewhere on one of the DVDs somebody says that without the original Superman movie, the fantastic success of all the other comic book movies that has come since, including Batman and the X-Men, wouldn't have been possible. Really, it's impossible to say, but this wonderful DVD set pulls out all the bells and whistles so that, paraphrasing the marketing pitch from the 1978 film, "You will believe a man can fly."

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The Complete Superman Collection (1978) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was really excited when this box set came out and even with the new Superman Returns on the horizon, you should never forget how it all got started. Mind you Superman and Superman II are really the only movies worth forking out the dough for in this box set, but fans won't care and will want to have them all just for the sake.
Superman clearly got the best treatment in this box set. It's packed with extra features, featurettes, music scores, the making of, trailers, etc. The rest of the movies however received zero extra features with the exception of theatrical trailers. What the heck Warner Bros? Gettin' lazy are we? It's a major bummer because many believe part II to be a better movie than the first and deserves some extra goodies. Where is the love for fans?

Superman: The Movie - **** "You will believe a man can fly." That's what the movie posters and trailers wanted you to believe before seeing the movie in 1978. Did they pull it off? Better watch for yourself and see! A tremendous movie even by today's standards. Superman is must see for anyone who enjoys a good popcorn movie. We all must remember this was made in 1978 with nearly no computer technology in sight! But amazingly, most won't notice and it's still fun in 2006. Kids who have never seen it will enjoy it as I did in 1978 when I was a mere 6 years old. Just a little side note... Director, Richard Donner, known for his blockbuster hits "Lethal Weapon 1-4" was literally shot down by Warner Brothers 3/4 through directing part II. Shortly after finishing part 1 and nearly finishing 3/4 of part II and without provocation or notice, Donner was fired as director for Superman II. Even more sadly, when the credits roll in the beginning of part II, credit for the movie was given entirely to Richard Lester and Donner's name isn't even mentioned. Ok How wrong is that? Even crazier, the documentary on the subject is very sparse and there was not a clear cut reason why he was let go. It definitely had to do with some of the other people involved in the movie who probably just didn't get along with Donner.
And don't think Donner was canned because Superman was a stinker. On the contrary, Superman is an epic movie, way before its time and made Warner Brothers a ton of money and was the biggest box office smash at the time. The massive scope, incredible special effects and the realism factor is all intact. It's right up there with the Spiderman movies in my opinion. Don't think of the comic books when watching the original Superman. After a somewhat overblown introduction with Krypton and his life in Smallville, the fun begins the second it goes to Metropolis. Christopher Reeve received high praise for playing the 2-part role of Clark Kent and Superman and at the time was an unknown. He's the perfect man for the role and I don't think it would have been as successful without him. Margot Kidder was also a surprising choice as another unknown but the cast and crew knew the second she meshed so well with Reeve on the screen tests as offered in the special features. But although Reeve and Kidder were matches in heaven for the cast and crew, the advertising of the movie went 100% to Hackman and Brando to get the movie the attention it needed. Posterboards, moviespots, Brando and Hackman were big names and it seemed to work.
Gene Hackman along with his side kick (Otis) Ned Beaty brings the comedic elements to the story. Donner did an excellent job making the two movies funny and realistic at the same time. Jammed packed with special features, the Superman DVD has it all. An all "musical score track" director commentary, interviews with Reeve, Kidder, how they made him fly, and how Donner was dissed during the making of Superman 2. Brando, known for his big role as head mobster in The Godfather plays a crucial role as Superman's father in Superman and his voiceovers for Superman 2. Just a funny little tidbit about Brando. He would always forget his lines and they had to reshoot many of the shots nearly a dozen times to get it right. Brando, also was high dollar actor and he only gave Donner two weeks to shoot his "talents" on-screen. Talented actor yes, but if you can't remember your lines, maybe you should find another job buddy. Overall, Superman lived up to the hype and is still as fun to watch as it was in '78, have fun with it!
Superman II - **** Although the credits clearly state "Richard Lester" as the director...Fans clearly no better. Superman II is Donner all the way. ¾ of the movies is Donner and the rest of it, Directed by a very tame Richard Lester, finished the movie. Fans will notice Kidder weight fluctuating during the film as scenes both directed by Lester and Donner were intertwined together. She looks downright sick in some scenes. Donners scenes are clearly the standout part of the movie. Most of the battle sequence are clearly Donner and most of the weaker scenes are noticeably Lester. As a whole though, I really loved Superman 2. The battle of Superman taking on 3 villains with equal superpowers makes for a marvelous story. The movie is more action orientated. The battle of Zod and Superman rocks. Zod, played by Terrance Stamp is a marvelous actor and his abilities as an actor come through in part II with flying colors. Both I and II were written by Mario Puzo (The Godfather) no wonder these movies are so enticing!
For reasons unknown, Superman 2 did not get any special treatment by Warner Brothers. Mind you, it's the best I've seen it look since the VHS days and they cleaned up the film nicely. But where is my 5.1 Dolby Digital and some special features. With the exception of the movie and a lousy trailer, you get nothing extra. I would have been happy with some interviews and even a spot by Richard Lester explaining how he came to become the director of Superman III. Nevertheless, the movie itself is worth your time and money. Thanks to Donner (yes he should be credited as the director) Superman 2 is a fantastic movie and lives up to being as good as the original if not better.
Superman III - ** 1/2 Man, this is why I miss Donner and screenplay writer Puzo. Richard Lester, selfishly credited for directing Donner's Superman 2, was offered the job to continue the spot with another Superman movie. Here we have Superman 3. Or should I call it Superman VS Richard Pryor - Computer Genius. Superman 3 is a weak entry in the series in my opinion. It's what Donner tried to steer away from in the original and part II. Superman 3 is more of a comedic farce rather than a full blown Superman epic. Luckily, Christopher Reeve saved this movie from being a total disappointment. When he's on-screen, it's good fun, but when Reeve is not on-screen, which is far too often, it's terrible. Superman is actually only in the movie for about 50% of the movie and the role of Clark Kent plays even a smaller part. The story seems to focus more on Richard Pryor's life as a computer guru rather than Superman. Not surprisingly, Warner Brothers didn't offer any special features for this movie with the exception of a theatrical trailer.
Superman IV - ** When you're down and out, you're down and out. Superman 4 is a bad movie and is the weakest entry in the series. I almost would have been happier with Richard Lester as the director, because Sidnie Furie obviously needs some training in the directing department. The story involves the disarmament of Nuclear Weapons and it's up to Superman to save the day! Superman 4 tries to entertain, but it's just a boring film and I have no intentions of watching this again anytime soon. The special effects are actually worse than the 1st three movies put together. Pee Poor pacing, bad directing, bad sound, bad everything and a story that will make some vomit. It's nice to see some of the characters again and heck, even Gene Hackman came back to make a paycheck, but the movie is bland and is a terrible way to end the series. There are some decent moments with Reeve and Kidder and Hackman is funny at times, but overall, you'll be looking at the wall instead of the movie. Extras: Superman got the only extras on the DVD's and part IV has nothing but the trailer. What a surprise.
As a package and definitely directed toward fans, you should enjoy this collection. If only III and IV were better.

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The Christopher Reeve Superman Collection (Superman - The Movie/ Superman II/ Superman III/ Superman IV - The Quest for Peace) (1987) Review

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(More customer reviews)All of the Christopher Reeve Superman movies arrive on DVD once more after being given the V.I.P. treatment by WB! Here are the specs for this DVD set:
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE (Four-Disc Special Edition) contents:
DISC ONE
* Original 1978 theatrical version with soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1
* Commentary by producer Pierre Spengler and executive producer Ilya Salkind
* Theatrical trailers, TV Spots
DISC TWO
* 2001 expanded edition movie with commentary by director Richard Donner & consultant Tom Mankiewicz
* Soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1
* Music-only audio track
DISC THREE
* Taking Flight: The Development of Superman
* Making Superman: Filming the Legend
* The Magic Behind the Cape
* Restored scenes
* Screen tests
* Audio-only bonus: additional music cues
DISC FOUR
* The Making of Superman the Movie vintage TV special
* 1951 Movie Superman and the Mole-Men, starring George Reeves
* 9 Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons mastered from superior vault elements
SUPERMAN II (Two-Disc Special Edition) contents:
DISC ONE
* Movie with commentary by producer Pierre Spengler and executive producer Ilya Salkind
* Additional scenes (over 8 minutes worth)
* Soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1
* Theatrical trailer
DISC TWO
* The Making of Superman II & Superman's 50th Anniversary vintage TV specials
* First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series featurette
* The Remaining 8 Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons mastered from superior vault elements
SUPERMAN III (Deluxe Edition) contents:
* Movie with commentary by producer Pierre Spengler and executive producer Ilya Salkind
* The Making of Superman III vintage TV special
* Additional scenes (over 19 minutes worth)
* Theatrical trailer
SUPERMAN IV: THE QUEST FOR PEACE (Deluxe Edition) contents:
* Movie with commentary by screenwriter Mark Rosenthal
* Additional scenes (over 30 minutes worth!)
* Theatrical trailer
The Supergirl Movie and Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut are not included in this set and are sold separately. This set is also not to be confused with the 14-disc Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition, which features a ton more additional content. To appease all the fans, WB is targeting the more affordable Christopher Reeve Collection for the general public and the more expensive Ultimate Collection for the collectors. Despite owning the 2001 DVDs of the Superman movies, I was still excited to add these new releases to my collection as all of the movies have supplemental material this time around, instead of just the first film. It's also fitting that Christopher Reeve's name has been added to this collection, as it shows how synonymous he's become with the Superman legacy. His brilliant performances brought a larger than life appeal to the Man of Steel that still has yet to be eclipsed. The Superman movies may have their fair share of flaws, but they're still wildly entertaining even after all these years and worth adding to anyone's collection!

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Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition (Superman - The Movie/ Superman II/ Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut/ Superman III/ Superman IV - The Quest for Peace/ Superman Returns) (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Warner Brothers promised that 2006 would be the year of Superman and they delivered in a big way. In addition to the plethora of seemingly endless new Superman merchandise, nearly every conceivable screen incarnation of Superman to date has been released on DVD! The pinnacle of these releases being the Ultimate Collector's Edition DVD set. Here is exactly what's included;
DISC 1- Superman The Movie
* 1978 theatrical version with commentary by producers Pierre Spengler & Ilya Salkind
* Theatrical trailers, TV Spots
* Soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1 (original 1978 audio mix in Dolby Digital 2.0)
DISC 2- Superman The Movie
* 2001 expanded movie with commentary by director Richard Donner & creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz
* Soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1
* Music-only audio track
DISC 3- Superman The Movie
* Taking Flight: The Development of Superman
* Making Superman: Filming the Legend
* The Magic Behind the Cape
* Additional scenes
* Screen tests
* Audio-only bonus: additional music cues
DISC 4- Superman The Movie
* The Making of Superman the Movie vintage TV special
* 1951 Superman and the Mole-Men movie starring George Reeves
* 9 Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons mastered from superior vault elements
DISC 5- Superman II
* Movie with commentary by producers Pierre Spengler & Ilya Salkind
* Additional scenes (over 8 minutes worth)
* Soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1
DISC 6- Superman II
* The Making of Superman II & Superman's 50th Anniversary TV specials
* First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series featurette
* The Remaining 8 Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons
DISC 7- Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
* All new introduction by director Richard Donner
* Commentary by director Richard Donner & creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz
* Superman II: Restoring the Vision featurette
* Additional scenes
* Dolby Digital 5.1
DISC 8- Superman III
* Movie with commentary by producers Pierre Spengler & Ilya Salkind
* The Making of Superman III vintage TV special
* Additional scenes (over 19 minutes worth)
* Theatrical trailer
DISC 9- Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
* Movie with commentary by screenwriter Mark Rosenthal
* Additional scenes (over 30 minutes worth!)
* Theatrical trailer
DISC 10- Superman Returns
* Theatrical cut
* Dolby Digital 5.1
DISC 11- Superman Returns
* Requiem for Krypton: Making Superman Returns 3hr multi-part documentary
* Additional scenes (without Return to Krypton sequence)
* Theatrical trailers
DISC 12- You'll Believe: The Making of A Saga- 5 part documentary
* Origin- Superman in the media & the challenges the Salkinds faced
* Vision- Choosing the right script, director & actors
* Ascent- Production of a new kind of fantasy film
* Crisis- Conflicts behind Superman II
* Redemption- Criticisms & burnout of Superman III & IV
* Bonus new documentaries- Mythology of Superman, Remembering Christopher Reeve, vintage Superman parodies
DISC 13- Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman
* Kevin Burns 2006 documentary on Superman's history
DISC 14- Bryan Singer's blogs
* All the web blogs plus two never-before-seen
The Ultimate box is encased in a keepsake tin and also includes a reprint of the Superman comic book issue #7, a Superman overview booklet and a mail-in offer for 5 reproduction Superman theatrical movie posters. The original 2006 release of the set had the bonus content for Superman the Movie and Superman III erroneously omitted. Fans could order replacement DVDs of those movies by calling the WB customer service number. In 2007, the Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition was re-released with the corrected DVDs already included. Perhaps the best part of this collection is the unbelievably reasonable retail price, with many retailers selling it for significantly less. Like many fans who have grown up on the Christopher Reeve Superman movies, I've patiently waited for a collection worthy of its legacy. Finally, WB has compiled a set that not only honors the character but all of the fans that still believe in truth, justice, and the American way!

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Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut (2010) Review

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(More customer reviews)Having just watched the Richard Donner version of "Superman II" twice (once with his commentary with 'Creative Consultant' Tom Mankiewicz), I can say that I prefer the Donner version, over Richard Lester's...but with reservations.
Other reviewers point out redundancies, over-long scenes, and character development problems in the Donner version, but these aren't really fair arguments; what you see are the basic scenes, originally shot; Donner, himself, admitted that had he continued on the film, he would have had to do reshoots of several key scenes, and, of course, would have been involved in the editing process (which couldn't be accomplished to the same degree, in the 'restored' edition). The 'turning the world back' resolution was intended for "Superman II"; when the Salkinds chose not to end the first film with a cliffhanger ending, Donner shot the Lois 'death' scene, and Supes turns back time to save her...so repeating the same resolution in "Superman II" was simply a case of using the original film conclusion, which Donner would have changed, had he continued with the film.
There are plotholes, and leaps of logic; as the film stands, Luthor is apparently in the Fortress of Solitude when Superman destroys it(!); Clark's 'revenge' against the diner bully makes no sense, since, after winding back time, the original confrontation never took place; indeed, the Jor-El 'farewell' scene would have been unnecessary, as well, insomuch as Supes rewound time back to before he lost and regained his powers. And what ever became of Miss Teschmacher?
All this having been said, there are moments where I think Richard Lester's lack of understanding of Superman and his Universe makes me stand in Donner's corner; he introduced abilities Supes never had (Saran-wrap symbols...what exactly were they supposed to do?...the 'Kiss of Forgetfulness'...turning Metropolis citizens into comic buffoons, during the climactic brawl...the whole British-accented town sequence, when Zod 'introduces' himself to the world). Other critics have panned Brando's 'Jor-El' in the Donner sequel, praising the Salkinds for dropping him, and increasing Susannah York's involvement, but she seems totally out-of-place as the 'final authority' figure in the Lester version. Maybe he was overpriced, but I think Brando was essential, and the film certainly would have been big enough to offset his paycheck.
I think the Donner version has more 'heart', and reverence to Superman, than Lester's broader, more comic 'take'. Even with the abrupt transitions, logic lapses, rough edges, and redundant resolution, a vision of what "might have been" emerges, and it was a pretty terrific film!

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In the year of Superman Returns, Superman II starring Christopher Reeve also returns - with a totally different beginning and resolution. With Jor-El (Marlon Brando in recently discovered footage) in key scenes that amplify Superman lore and deepen the profound relationship between father and son. With different Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) schemes to unmask Clark Kent as Superman. With...well, with so many changes, large and small, that this Superman II is an eye-opening alternate experience. Director Richard Donner began shooting his vision of Superman II while concurrently filming Superman The Movie. Now, for the first time, his never-before-seen vision is here. And it's a must for every Superman fan, an important addition to the legend of the Man of Steel.

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Superman - The Movie (Four-Disc Special Edition) (1978) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a tough one to review. For a film made in 1978, I don't think it could look any better. I'm willing to bet this Blu-ray disc is as good if not better than the premiere screening of Superman back in 78. Great care must have been taken to clean up and restore this picture. It is practically free of scratches and dirt. It is detailed, far above standard definition. Colors are balanced and eye catching. Contrast is natural and evenly spread. Inserted scenes are consistent with the rest of the film. Never looked better. Still, 1978. There are a few scenes with plenty of grain and most of the film gives the impression of being a little out of focus, a little blurred. Five star transfer, four star visual impact. I doubt if a 1080p display is getting much more out of this picture than a 720p display.
(PS3 - 1080p projector - 92")


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A box-office smash, an Academy Award winner* and a fan favorite since it first flew into theatres in December 1978, Superman: The Movie assembles a cast and creative contingent as only a big movie can. At its heart (just as in three sequels) is Christopher Reeve's intelligent, affectionate portrayal of a most human Man of Steel. Watching Superman again isn't just like being a kid again. It's better. The movie's legacy soared even higher when director Richard Donner revisited this beloved adventure 22 years later and integrated eight minutes into the film. Enjoy more footage of the Krypton Council, a glimpse of stars of prior Superman incarnations, more of Jor-El underscoring his son's purpose on Earth and an extended sequence inside Lex Luthor's gauntlet of doom. Reeve, Marlon Brando (Jor-El), Gene Hackman (Luthor) and Margot Kidder (Lois Lane) give indelible performances that fuel the film's aura of legend. Looks like a swell night for flying. Why not come along?

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Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology, 1978-2006 Review

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(More customer reviews)Finally, the original Superman series hits Blu ray. I still don't get why this didn't happen way back in 2006 when the dvd set came out. All we got were a poor transfer of the extended version of the first film, a great transfer of the Donner Cut of part 2, and a fairly poor transfer of Superman Returns. Here we get 'em all, plus they are all new transfers from the previous releases making it beyond worth picking up.
All, and I mean ALL, the special features from the previous dvd set is included in this eight blu ray disc box set. Now maybe someone out there can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall, on the box set dvd or the blu ray, the previous releases of Superman Returns having the deleted scene of Superman returning the barron and destroyed planet Krypton searching for life in his crystal spaceship. I've never seen this five minutes sequence before in my life. I've only seen snippets of it on the theatrical trailers for the film. Well, I got to see it for the first time today. While Returns is no great film, this scene should have been left in. It would've opened the film up more. Even weirder is this scene is completely finished. All the effects are GREAT and finished and polished. I can't believe they cut this scene. Hell, there were even action figures made of Superman's space suit and his ship back in 2006 for a sequence that was never even seen by mainstream film goers. Whatever. All the other deleted scenes and extended cuts are here too. All the films have their commentaries included, except Returns which never had one unfortunately.
Of course some of the special features are repetitive. The commentaries repeat some of the info give in the featurettes and documentaries. Back in 2001 a box set for the first four films was released on dvd. Only the first film had special features and an extended cut. The documentary, cut into three parts, is included. While this doc repeats a lot of what is on the eighth disc's featurettes regarding the whole series' history, it does skim over the on set tensions and the firing of Richard Donner from the directing duties of part 2. So, essentially, if you're a hardcore fan like me, you will have to view both. We get the first feature film of Superman starring George Reeves called Superman and the Mole Men, not really in HD unfortunately. Even better is we the classic animated shorts from Fleischer studios. They're not cleaned up but they look pretty good in a low grade version of hi def. The audio of all movies has been upgraded and it reall shows.
Shockingly to me, is that the AWFUL Superman IV: The Quest for Peace looks really good in hi def. I mean, it never looked that good, and all the edges of the effects always showed, but the blu ray transfer doesn't make them MORE apparent, but the colors look good. Go figure. My favorite part of the part IV disc is the deleted scenes. Now these scenes make the film seem more whole and help it make a ton more sense, especially towards the third act, but the movie stilled would've been just as awful. It just would've been a comprehensible mess as opposed to what it is. I also appreciate co-screenwriter Mark Rosenthal committing a commentary to this disc, as well as an interview for the 8th disc docs. He is frank and never once tries to polish this turd that he worked on. He's the only one from this film that even bothered to comment, so I more than appreciate it. Something about filmmakers talking about movies that didn't work always intrigues me more than the ones that do, just see the Joel Schumacher commentary for Batman and Robin. Superman Returns FINALLY looks the way it should. The colors pop and the sound booms. All previous dvd and blu ray versions of this film were terrible, and even more so when you see the new disc, which kept all the previous releases special features and included the video diaries which were an exclusive to the Superman tin from 2006.
Finally, the last thing I'll mention, is Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut. This is the best special feature ever made for any movie ever made in the history of movies. I'm super happy that Warner Brothers paid to have this experiment made, that Donner cared enough to give it a whirl, and that it was worth watching. Most people who initially reviewed this movie just DIDN'T GET IT. It wasn't a complete representation of Donner's vision for Superman II. Most people complained that it had the same ending as the first film. Well, if you bothered to listen to the commentary or watch the doc that accompanies the disc you would know that they were behind while shooting both films back to back, and decided to hedge their bets and not assume that Superman: The Movie would be an instant hit. They stole the ending from part II and stuck it on the first film. Since Donner never got to make part II he has no ending to put but the one that was scripted when he was making the film over thirty years ago. So this is more of an experiment than a competition for the theatrical Lester version. This is as close to Donner's movie as we'll ever get. Personally, I loved it. The screen test footage sticks out like a sore thumb, the acting and writing is GREAT, and Superman's reveal to Lois is clever and fun, as opposed to the dumb Lester version of Clark tripping into a fire. If you watch the doc or listen to the commentary you will understand what shots were all Donner stuff. If you have a keen eye for film you'll now anyway. The effects work and photography and choreography for Donner's footage is sooooo much more graceful and classy. While his films have goofy humor, the villains from Krypton are played straight and malevolent, unlike the Lester version. Now I don't hate the Lester version. It's enjoyable, but an obvious step down in tone and quality from the first film. It will forever be the offical sequel due to Donner never having filmed or even been give the opportunity to come up with a third act. Now the only annoyance of the Donner cut for me, beyond the reused end of the first film, is that the middle section is very choppy. The scenes that cut between the alien invasion and Superman and Lois falling further in love are harshly edited and don't always breath enough. That's it. Donner reveals much bitterness regarding not having stayed on board for all the Superman movies, but he seems jovial all the time. I'm happy he was able to get some closure, and really happy that fans like me could have such a neat gift. It's also bittersweet in the sense that the Donner cut shows so much potential it makes you feel slighted regarding what he eventually got with the series and the downward spiral it took.
All discs are upgraded in audio and visuals so for any Superman fan it's a no brainer. This is an upgrade. Now I understand if you don't care to own the later films, but you will have to wait as I'm sure they will all be released individually just like the Batman films. This will probably happen to coincide with the release of Zach Snyder's upcoming Superman film next year. I'm hoping the next Superman film is truly just a tale of Superman and NOT another origin story. It's been done in the comics, movies, cartoons, and tv shows. NO MORE. Who doesn't know Superman's origins at this point. I will be very bored if that's the case. We'll see. Fingers crossed.

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Noises Off... (1992) Review

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(More customer reviews)Noises Off is a treasure of a movie buried in the comedy section of the video store. And after viewing it as a chance discovery, I would rank it as one of the funniest movies I've ever seen ' bar none! There is no message, no lingering camera work and precious little plot actually, but the sight gags and interaction of the characters make this movie an absolute laugh riot.
The premise of this film deals with the rehearsals and pre-Broadway tour of a play that aspires to be a classic British sex farce. Michael Caine plays the beleaguered director, with Julie Hagerty as his stage manager, trying to corral a collection of stage and movie actors on both sides of the career loop. Carol Burnett, John Ritter, Christopher Reeve, Denholm Elliott, Marilu Henner and Nicolette Sheridan make up the onstage ensemble, with the able support of Mark Linn-Baker. Throughout early rehearsals and performances the cast conspires with and against each other in matters of romance, revenge and profession expression ' all to hilarious effect.
It all culminates in a fateful performance that we view/hear primarily from backstage as conflicts of love and stage presence boil over in mid-show. It just might be the funniest thing ever filmed that didn't involve the genius of Mel Brooks.

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